Knockout Redhead LLC/The American Side

Knockout Redhead LLC was formed to produce the feature film The American Side. Budgeted at under $2M and set entirely in the Buffalo/Niagara area, this neo-noir thriller combines the authentic writing of Buffalo native Greg Stuhr with the seasoned Producer-Director team of Jonathan Shoemaker and Jenna Ricker and an all-star cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Janeane Garofalo and Tim Blake Nelson.

Sitting squarely in the mystery-thriller genre that has proven so easily marketable across national, cultural and linguistic borders (as demonstrated by the success of films like Winter's Bone, Let the Right One In and The Lives of Others) this modestly budgeted film could earn a profit that rivals or even far outstrips the current crop of bloated Hollywood blockbusters. Those films, with budgets averaging $65M, are considered huge hits if they top $100M at the box office. Consider instead a film like Juno, which was produced for $7.5 million in 2007 and has grossed $230M in worldwide theatrical and video sales to date. Or Adrienne Shelly's Waitress, which was produced for $2M and went on to gross $23M worldwide. Much of these films' success came from their sense of freshness, innovation and authenticity -- often missing in bigger productions.

Additionally, The American Side hopes to capitalize on the Sideways Effect. Not only did Alexander Payne's $12M film gross $110M worldwide, it also gave a huge boost to its twin subject matters - the Santa Barbara, CA wine country and its star product, Pinot Noir. Following that film's release, this previously little-known pocket of central California experienced a huge and lasting boom in tourism. And Pinot Noir, which was practically worshipped in the film, surged to an immediate 16% increase in sales.

To date the company has raised $900,000 in private equity, mostly from New York City-based sources. They are looking to raise $500,000 or more in Western New York to put them within reach of their goal. They are offering Class B subscription shares in the LLC at $50,000 each. No funds will be spent until the entire production budget is met.